John Kenneth Galbraith

1908 - 2008

John Kenneth Galbraith was a prominent Canadian-American economist, diplomat, and author, known for his influential works on the role of government in the economy and his skepticism of free-market capitalism. Born on October 15, 1908, he served in various positions, including U.S. Ambassador to India and was a member of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. Galbraith's best-known books include "The Affluent Society" and "The New Industrial State," which helped shape modern economic thought.

It is a far, far better thing to have a firm anchor in nonsense than to put out on the troubled sea of thought.

The Affluent Society, Chapter 11, Section IV, p. 130, 1958

Economics is extremely useful as a form of employment for economists.

Money differs from an automobile or mistress in being equally important to those who have it and those who do not.

Nothing is so admirable in politics as a short memory.